The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has inaugurated the nine-kilometre Obehie-Okeikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia, which links Abia with Akwa Ibom.

In a speech at the event, which took place at Obehie, the executive director (Projects) of the commission, Victor Antai, said that the commission awarded the project on April 7, 2022 at the cost of N3 billion

He said that it was 100 per cent completed and that the contractor complied with the specification given by the commission, in terms of the scope of the project.

Mr Antai, who hails from Akwa Ibom, said: “This is a major interstate road connecting Abia and Akwa Ibom.

“Akwa Ibom is predominantly agrarian, so the road means so much to the socio-economic activities of my people.”

He also said that the completion of the project had helped to enhance security of lives and property of the people of the area.

The Abia commissioner on the NDDC board, Eruba Dimgba, thanked the chairman of the NDDC governing board, Chiedu Ebie, and the managing director/chief executive officer of the commission, Samuel Ogbuku, for their commitment in addressing the infrastructure needs and wellbeing of the people of the area.

Mr Dimgba said: “This road represents progress, connectivity and opportunity for the people of Abia.

“It signifies a brighter future, where communities and businesses can thrive and lives can be transformed.”

Also, Mr Ogbuku, said that the road was the first phase of the project.

Mr Ogbuku said that the second phase, which was flagged off at Akwete in Ukwa East LGA of Abia shortly after the inauguration, would begin from Okeikpe and terminate at the Abia boundary with Akwa Ibom.

He expressed delight that the present management and board of the commission had succeeded in positively changing the poor perception of the people of the Niger Delta region toward the commission.

According to him, NDDC over the years was under-appreciated but today, the story has changed and it’s highly appreciated because of its performance in addressing the people’s infrastructure and manpower development needs.

He promised that the commission was poised to do more projects in the region to meet the people’s needs and aspirations in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The commission is ready and committed to doing more for the people of the region by supporting the good programmes of the president,” he said.

The NDDC boss thanked the state government for providing the security that helped the contractor to carry on with the project without being attacked by hoodlums.

He specifically paid tribute to Gov. Alex Otti for his timely intervention in beefing up security for the project to progress to its completion after the contractor was forced to vacate the site, following incessant attacks by hoodlums.

He urged the communities in the region to take responsibility in safeguarding government projects and facilities in their areas.

“Communities should protect the government’s facilities provided for them and ensure they were not vandalised because it will take time and additional resources to replace.

“You should stop vandalising oil installations in the region so that our oil production would increase in order for the commission to have more funds to do projects for the NDDC communities,” he said.

He expressed concern over the vandalised 33.5kva substation in the area, saying that apart from plunging the area into darkness, it would cost the commission additional resources to fix.

In a remark, the governor thanked the commission for its intervention on the road as well as other ongoing and completed projects in the state.

Mr Otti, represented by deputy gov. Ikechukwu Emetu, said the road was impassable and posed a serious nightmare to motorists and the people of the area before the commission’s intervention.

He said that the state government had keyed into the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president in order to effectively deliver the dividend of democracy to Abia people as promised in his manifesto.

He said that his administration was aggressively tackling the infrastructure deficit in the state, pointing out that it had reconstructed about 70 roads, built 10 others, including the Ossah Road, Umuahia and Port Harcourt Road. Aba, while 20 more were ongoing.

He appealed to Abia youths to stop vandalising government’s critical assets, warning that anyone caught in the act would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said that aside from building infrastructure, the government was also exploring avenues to create employment opportunities that would gainfully engage the youths and divert their attention from crime.

In separate speeches, some community leaders from the area, including the lawmaker in the state Assembly, Godwin Adiele, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the area, Ezedinachi Kanu, a woman leader, Monica Chimke, and Domnic Oforji, thanked NDDC for fixing the road.

They said that motorists and commuters spent about six hours from Obehie to Okeikpe for a journey of less than one hour because of the deplorable condition of the road.

The chairman of Ukwa West Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Chinyere Dike, appealed to the commission to expand the road to dual carriageway because of the heavy traffic on the road.

Mr Dike also called for the repair of the vandalised substation to enable their area to hook unto Geometric Power supply.

Also, a community leader in Ndoki in Ukwa East, Emeka Stanley, thanked the commission for extending the road project to their area.

Mr Stanley, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, and former commissioner for works, said that the road, when completed, would enhance socio-economic and commercial activities in the area.

(NAN)